The Hue Of Vitality Maurisha Murphy 12th Grade

In literature, color conveys powerful messages, expressing underlying themes when words fail to do so. Recognizing symbolism is an essential part of understanding any literary work. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s American masterpiece The Great Gatsby, colors are used to develop the characters and theme in a way that mimics the era of the book, The Roaring Twenties; a time of social decadence and moral deterioration in which the superficial lives of the war-shattered people revolved solely around money. The colors blue, grey, lavender, gold, yellow, green and white occur considerably throughout the novel adding depth and dynamic to the otherwise trivial lives of the characters. Color also shines light on some truth behind the glittering facades put on by Gatsby and Daisy allowing the reader to grasp the actuality of the misunderstood relationship.

Blue describes Gatsby's inner-self, which is full of sadness and fantasy. In the novel his garden is always described with the color blue. He holds all of his extravagant ravages in his blue garden to attract Daisy, but he never succeeds. Few people who attend the parties know the real identity of Gatsby, which is the reason he does not attend. Blue also symbolizes the illusion of his...